Janina Katz

1939 - 2013

Denmark

Janina Katz was born in Krakow in Poland, lived in hiding with her mother during World War II, and has lived in Denmark since 1969. She graduated in Polish literary history and sociology, is a literary critic and translator, and works at the Royal Library in Copenhagen.

Her debut collection Min moders datter, 1991, was followed by Mit uvirkelige liv (P), 1992, and I mit drømmeland (P), 1993. Mit liv som barbar, 1993, is a partially autobiographical novel about a young girl’s life as a young Polish communist. In 1994, she published Heltens tykke kone og andre historier, followed in 1996 by the poetry collection Udenfor sæsonen, which with subtle irony and a cheerful undertone examines the themes of age, remembrance, and love, and subsequently Den glade jødinde og andre historier, 1998.

Additions by the editorial team 2011:

The above biography was first published in 1998. Since then, Janina Katz has published the poetry collections  Varme steder, 1999, Det syvende barn, 2002, Landskabet der blev væk, 2004, Min spaltede tunge, 2006, and Skrevet på polsk, 2011. 

She has also written four novels: Putska, 1998, Fortællinger til Abram, 2001, Drengen fra dengang, 2004, and Længsel på bestilling, 2008. Additionally, she has written the memoirs Tilbage til æblerne: prosa og digte, 2010.

Janina Katz is the recipient of a number of awards and honours, including Det Danske Akademis Beatricepris in 1999 and Statens Kunstfonds livsvarige ydelse in 2002.